Pumpkin Erissery is one of the many inevitable dishes in the Kerala Sadya!Erissery can be made using different vegetables ,together with red cow peas /Van payar,but the common favourite among most keralites is Pumpkin/Mathanga Erissery.

Ingredients:

Cowpeas (Van payar) – 1/2 cup

Pumpkin/Mathanga – 3 cups(Skin cut off and cubed.

Salt as needed.

Chilli powder – 1/4 tsp

To grind:

Grated coconut – 1/4 cup

Jeera/Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Garlic pods – 2 pearls

Salt as needed

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp.

For Tempering:

Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Dry red chillies – 2 – 3 nos

Curry leaves- A few

Grated coconut – 1/4 cup

Method:

Soak Cow peas/Vanpayar overnight.Next day cook it with some water and salt until soft.Keep aside.

In a vessel,cook cubed pumpkin along with a little water,chillipowder and salt till pumpkin is cooked.

Grind the ingredients under “To Grind” .Now add the cooked cowpeas to the vessel containing the pumpkin.Gently mix.Simmer on a low flame for 2 minutes.Now to this add the ground coconut mixture and again simmer on low flame for 1 minute.Add salt if needed.Turn off the flame and keep aside.

Now heat coconut oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds and when they splutter,add Dry chiilies,Curry leaves and grated coconut and saute till coconut is browned.

Turn off the flames and pour this into the Cowpeas-Pumpkin mixture.Mix gently.Transfer to serving dish.Serve hot with steamed white rice and Enjoy!